Loft92 In Palermo, Italy

Well here we go: Now that I am traveling again this week (hop over to Instagram to see where I am this time) I thought it's about time to blog about the very cool design loft I stayed at during my Sicilian trip and visit to Palermo. I found the cool Loft92 after a short research on airbnb and it was an immediate scorer - it was unlike many other accommodations and had a very special look to it. So it was click, chat, book - and I did not regret it a minute!

This is definitely a place you should pick next time you travel to Palermo, Sicily. Why? Because it's unusual and special - it is a huge sort of hall, I don't know what exactly this building used to be (as it is clearly older) but the structure is more suitable for a storeroom or something similar. Maybe it was even a sort of factory or mill, who knows. Only thing I know is that the owner transformed it into an open and airy space with a minimalistic look (so unlikely in Italy).

The apartment is located in the city center of Palermo which makes it even better. You can literally walk to every important sight in Palermo from the apartment. And can you imagine my Urban Jungle Bloggers eyes when I arrived at the entrance of the apartment packed with all kinds of plants? It was an instant love affair.

The apartment itself is spacious and can host two people. It has a large entrance hall with an ancient fountain in one corner, a huge bed sofa to relax after long walks, a little open-space kitchen and a bathroom. Dramatically suspended stairs lead to the upper floor which is in fact a mezzanine and the bedroom. A big and comfy bed, a few seats, another bathroom and a closet - that's it. No clutter, no shenanigans. And with no shenanigans I mean none - so don't expect a TV there.

If you like what you see and you plan a trip to Palermo, have a look HERE to book it.

Happy new week!

Photography by Igor Josifovic

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Travel Tips For Sicily - Part Two

Sicily is a wild and romantic island. Its nature is wild and untamed in some areas, its baroque cities and villages are romantic and inviting. After last week's post about western Sicily, today I am taking you to the eastern part of the island. We will visit Catania, the islands second largest city, as well as Syracuse, an ancient city in the southeast of Sicily. And we will climb high up - to more than 3,000 meters of altitude to wander the snow and the craters of one of Europe's most active volcanos Mount Etna. Ready? Buckle up!

Catania is one bustling city. Even though it comes second after Palermo, I felt like it is way busier, there is more going on, the city is very young and the nightlife is buzzing. The city itself matches the Sicilian pattern: Beautiful baroque architecture is followed by crumbling facades and dismal buildings. But the landmarks of the city under the volcano are magnificent - the wonderful cathedral on the city's central square, the quaint Bellini garden, the picturesque Via Crociferi, the fortified Castello Ursino and the colourful fish market La Pescheria.

The city will also surprise you with its many little piazzas surrounded by restaurants and wine bars. Somehow, I preferred Catania over Palermo for the atmosphere. Some places I would recommend are the pastry shop Savia to enjoy some delicious cannoli, the Caffè del Duomo serves great coffee, ice cream and arancini (fried rice balls, a Sicilian specialty) and the Ciciulena restaurant with good Sicilian food and a funky interior design including plants.

If you prefer to experience a less urban atmosphere, head south to the ancient city of Syracuse. Here again you will have some questionable architecture in the modern part, but just continue to the old town which is located on an island called Ortigia. You will quickly get lost once you enter the old town's labyrinth of narrow streets. Let go and just wander around - you will discover the most beautiful balconies adorned with plants, you will pass by cute little stores and restaurants and eventually you will end up at the magnificent Piazza Duomo, a pastel colored Italian dream for the romantic soul in you.

Stay in Syracuse to enjoy the evening 'passeggiata' - once dusk sets in the atmosphere will become even more magic with the city illumination. My personal top recommendation in Syracuse is the wonderful wine bar/shop Enoteca Solaria - try a good local wine and enjoy some typical Sicilian food in a convivial atmosphere.

Last but not least let's talk about Mount Etna. Mid March is quite early and still pretty much winter on the volcano. So be prepared for snow, cold temperatures and foggy conditions. I took the car up to the Rifugio Sapienza which lies slightly under 2,000 meters altitude. You pass through various villages on the slopes of Mount Etna and the last part is a crazily winding road through old lava fields. We drove through cotton thick fog and made it to the Rifugio with no sight of anything. But then the magic happened - the fog diluted and we spotted the Etna cable car station. Next thing I know I was tootling up to around 3,000 meters below the Etna craters. I was marching through snow surrounded by skiers and snowboarders overlooking an endless sea of fog below us and smokey tops beyond us. A truly remarkable moment! Don't miss it if you ever end up on Sicily.

See you next time from another place!

Photography by Igor Josifovic

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Dolce Vita In Sicily - Part One

A few weeks ago I set off to a full week of dolce vita, far niente and pasta and pizza galore. Obviously, my destination was Italy. To be more precise, its far south: the island of Sicily. As an avid traveler I have seen quite a bit of Italy so far, but Sicily was still a big white gap on my personal map - undiscovered terrain if you want so. Thus it was about time to descend to Europe's far south and explore this Mediterranean island.

Choosing mid March as the travel season proved to be a nice move - no tourist masses and no tourist prices but lots of nature, free tables in restaurants and quiet sightseeing tours. Sicily is one of the biggest islands in the Mediterranean, yet it is quite manageable to be discovered in one week. Traveling with a rented car is the easiest option - the streets are ok (not perfect though) and you can get more or less everywhere within a few hours.

My trip started in the popular seaside town of Cefalú in the island's north with a relaxed walk in the beautiful old town and a good lunch overlooking the sea (traditional pasta with swordfish, pine nuts, raisins and wild fennel) followed by pistachio sweets and a good espresso macchiato. Later on I headed to Palermo, the island's capital and biggest city. Sicilian cities resemble each other - you will notice beautiful architecture, numerous baroque churches, shiny domes, wonderful piazzas. On the other hand you will behold old, unmaintained buildings, crumbling facades and unfinished and abandoned construction sites. Palermo has it all - and still it is a beautiful city to visit. Most of the main sights are located in the city center and can be visited by foot (better than facing the chaotic Italian traffic). Some of the most iconic sights include the Piazza Bellini with three landmark churches, the Teatro Massimo, the cathedral of Palermo, the archaeological museum and the city's botanical garden (one of the oldest in Italy, I will blog about it in a separate post). Moreover you can descend to the La Cala port with its yachts and enjoy seaside views while eating a delicious local ice cream. In Palermo I stayed in a fab airbnb design loft - I will blog about it in a separate post too!

If you go to Sicily, don't miss the daily 'passeggiata' - an evening walk around dusk time when main streets turn into pedestrian zones and all Sicilians go out for a stroll, some shopping and chit-chatting on the street while enjoying buskers and other street performers. Food wise you will be in heaven, too. Amazing pizza can be enjoyed in the Pizzeria Frida with many queuing Palermitanes, delicious local dishes and wines in great quality can be found at the Osteria dei Vespri (reserve a table during the high season) and fantastic slow food can be tasted in the Casa del Brodo. Get prepared to loosen your belt a bit.

Palermo is a great starting point for a little discovery trip to the west of the island. If you like beaches and sunbathing, head to Mondello with its fantastic beach and seafront. For cultural sights drive into the island and stop at Segesta with its majestic temple and theatre in the middle of nowhere. Further west you will arrive at the coastal town of Trapani with its salines, windmills and sights of the Egadi islands (plus its local pasta dish with tomatoes, basil, garlic and almonds). If you opt for the southern route you will end up in the city of Agrigento sitting on top of a hill overlooking the Mediterranean. You can ignore the city itself as it is rather uninteresting, but just south of it is the world famous Valley of the Temples with a line-up of some of the most fantastic and best preserved Greek temples of the entire Mediterranean. You can enjoy a long and relaxed walk and dawdle from temple to temple. I visited the archaeological museum at the end with a great selection of ancient ceramics.

This complete today's tour of the northern and western part of Sicily. Next time I will take you to the west and Sicily's second largest city, the highest and most active volcano in Europe and more sights and culinary expeditions.

Photography by Igor Josifovic

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